


Out of Ashes

by welcometothisday



Category: Batman - All Media Types, Batman: The Animated Series, Justice League & Justice League Unlimited (Cartoons)
Genre: Batfamily Shenanigans, F/F, F/M, M/M, Single Parents
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-07-30
Updated: 2019-08-05
Packaged: 2020-07-25 23:43:25
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,761
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20034283
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/welcometothisday/pseuds/welcometothisday
Summary: Living in Gotham was always, interesting. For instance, if you got caught by Joker gas, you'd smell like farts all week and your facial muscles stopped working for a bit, regardless of whether or not you smiled. There was also Poison Ivy, who's sometimes let out a bunch of pollen, which irritated those who had allergies or got hay fever easily. And then there were criminals like Mr. Freeze......One could say that those from Gotham had good reasons to turn against criminals and vigilantes. It had only been a matter of time before civilians went after what criminals treasured most just as criminals did to loved ones. But, they couldn't have chosen a stupider target.Who in their right mind would attack Nora Fries?





	1. Chapter 1

There were loud murmurs and whispers of apologies, but Amanda Cromwell couldn't fully hear them, her attention diverted to where a fire had just been smothered.

"Amanda?"

She flinched, collecting herself, the noise of the clinic's metal clacking, the whispering, the crying of young children were almost overwhelming. Off to her side was Leslie Thompkins, the head of the Thomas Wayne MemorialClinic. The clinic was free to those who needed its services, and people needed it, especially in this part of Gotham City. Park Row had once been a beautiful place, one filled with opportunity. Then, everything fell apart, in some cases literally.

"Sorry, Leslie," Amanda breathed, collecting herself. There were people coming in with burns, more than a few begging for help. Separating her emotions from her goal, she focused on her patients, tending to each of them. "Who did this...This time?"

Dr. Thompkins scowled, "Rolland Daggett. He tried to destroy everything, everyone."*

Amandas eyes widened as she realized there were markings on Leslie from duck tape and a gag. It was becoming easier and easier to recognize those details the longer one lived there. "Leslie-"

"Where are the twins?"

"With Maggie," Amanda murmured, furrowing her brows in concentration as she collected the medicine her patients most likely needed. After she sutured a cut (unburned and likely sustained from either the blast or being knocked down), she elaborated. "I let Maggie know I needed to stay late, and she offered to take the twins for ice cream...They should be okay, but I'm about to call. Do you know if the apartments were hit?"

"There were so many explosions, that it was hard to tell," Leslie grimaced. That meant if it had blown up, then at least fifty two people were without a place to stay, including Amanda and her children. Leslie peered at Amanda. "I have something to ask of you. There's a patient here that requires absolute discretion, even from the police."

What? "Well, that's new."

The last time Leslie had been told not to reveal a medical emergency to authorities, it had been because she was kidnapped by Thorn's men. Something involving Rupert Thorn's brother, and heart surgery...Leslie had come back with bullet holes in her coat. Wincing, Amanda made hand signals that the workers at the clinic had come up with for emergency situations for both proficiency, and safety. It was unorthodox, but effective.

Leslie shook her head, "They're a good person, and I do so willingly. I just ask for you to do the same."

First making sure that the other practitioners could manage the situation, Amanda followed Leslie to a back room. It was dark in there, but there was enough light to see the whites of a mask. She fretted for a moment if someone like the Mad Hatter, or even the Scarecrow had gotten in. Both had mind controlling or altering tech at some point, so while it was a possibly paranoid theory, here in Gotham it wasn't too far fetched.

The light turned on, and there, at the foot of the bed, was the Batman.

Leslie waved her hand in front of Amanda's face, preventing the latter from going off into confusion and/or losing herself in flashbacks. Shaking her head, Amanda frowned at the sight of his side bleeding, and there was a visible bump on his head through the mask. She instantly walked over to the cabinet, asking, "Besides bleeding out and having a plausible concussion, what are your symptoms. What's your pain level on a scale of one to ten? And I swear, if you try to hide it, I'll sick Leslie on you."

It was kind of obvious that Batman had to trust Leslie to some degree, more than most, if he wanted help from her. The man was notoriously stubborn, and likely had a death wish. There was a pause, and Amanda tried not to react to the deep voice that came out. No wonder he was terrifying, even his voice sent shivers up the spine. "Shrapnel above the seventh rib down. First and second degree burns with it...Five. Level five."

Amanda looked at him with doubt, glancing at Leslie briefly. The doctor shrugged as she helped Amanda get what they needed.

Examining him just on his outward appearance, Amanda reached into one of the upper shelves, pulling out one of the disposable Grey Ghost masks she made for kids to make them feel braver or even like they kicked butt when it came to illnesses or injuries. First performing a couple of confrontation tests to see how his senses were, she handed him one of the masks, ignoring his weirded out expression. As he opened his mouth, she stated, "I need to see your head, and this lets me do that without me needing to know who you are. So, strip and lie down on the bed. Or I can have Leslie make you do it."

She was probably going to faint of shock and horror later for saying this to _Batman_ of all people. But, he was her patient, so she was going to treat him as the reckless and unknown one that he was. She had a feeling that gentleness and shyness in this kind of situation wasn't his thing. He needed bluntness, and she'd give it. "Leslie, we have an IV and blood on-?"

Leslie had already rolled it over. "Head or side?"

"I'm better at treating lacerations and burns," Amanda stated. "And he knows you better than he does me. _You_ get to mess with his head. I'd like to stay out of it if possible." Nope, no one messed with Batman. She'd seen his handiwork firsthand. It wasn't pretty. As she turned around, she took a couple steps back. Oh dear lord, the Batman was smiling. And he was doing it, with a Grey Ghost mask. How does the Batman, of all people, have a goody smile like her four year old?! "...Now I _know_ you have a concussion."

She didn't really take in the fact of his musculature or figure overall as she treated his wounds. "Please tell me you have someone who can take you home? I really don't recommend that you drive the Batmobile in your current state."

Both she and Leslie groaned when he didn't meet their eyes. Checking his stitches, she cleaned the area and washed her hands. "Leslie, did you want to take care of cleaning the rest of it up? I don't know his blood type, and I'm fairly sure you don't want me to know."

Leslie placed a hand on Amanda's shoulder, "Thank you, Amanda."

She hesitated, but nodded, "I just hope he doesn't do anything too stupid like jump off a building. I require at minimum a day of bed rest considering his life style. I'd prefer a week, but if he's the patient you've told me about, I'm not going to push my luck."

What was she on? Oh, adrenaline. Batman spoke again, rare it appeared to be, "Gotham needs me."

"Yes, Gotham needs you not to die," Amanda stated coolly. "And putting yourself at risk so often? You'll leave the city defenseless. So treat yourself better, damn it."

Ignore the stares. Ignore the stares, for they do not exist.

"...Two days," he submitted slowly.

Amanda threw her hands up in the air, grumbling about idiot patients and having death wishes. Finishing up, she was at the door when she hesitated. Going soft, she uttered, "And, thank you, for everything."

She didn't stick around to see the man under the mask. Instead, she went back to acting as though everything were normal. Or, at least as much as they could be when it came to treating an influx of patients who survived a bombing. These people really needed a hospital, but most were too far away, and/or the people here couldn't afford it.

After several hours, it was all done, and the medical staff was exhausted. Amanda did her best to avoid the media, only wishing to get home to her kids. If she spotted a shadow trailing after her, she treated it like she did all shadows...She kept walking.

In Gotham City, one did their best to survive, and that's exactly what Amanda Cromwell was going to do. She just hoped that a certain idiot would do the same.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *Batman the Animated Series: Appointment in Crime Alley


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Timeline? What timeline?

Amanda groaned, banging her head against the wall until Dr. Wu appeared, handing her a coffee. "Ooh, extra black. Nice."

"How are the twins?"

Taking a sip of the addictive but life saving brew, Amanda leaned against the wall. "They were worried."

It'd been a few weeks since the explosion in "Crime Alley." The results were the same per usual. Either someone was sent to Arkham only to escape, or they had money to make their problems all go away. 

"Understandably, their mother could've been blown up," Wu said. It was tempting to gesticulate in retort, but this was her boss. Er, one of them. "What about you?"

Yeah, _of course_ Amanda's going to blather about sewing up the Batman like he was a fine patchwork quilt...When the guy was a vigilante, a loon that dressed up as a bat to scare the bejeezus out of people, and made sure criminals were going to pee their respective trousers.

"Just, saw some things that'll probably give me nightmares."

Both shivered, each thinking and talking about the last time something one of Gotham's notorious criminals had done something terrifying.

A few weeks ago people covered in branches, had twigs in their hair, and looked like they were partially made of wood, were rolled in. Amanda and Dr. Wu exchanged a look at the time, saying in unison, "Ivy."*

She was grateful she wasn't on the other end of a criminal's wrath, ish. Sometimes they chose their victims carefully, and then you had those like the Joker, who didn't seem to care was in his way. Still, being a tree sounded like a horrible thing to experience. Imagine all of the animals leaving markers on you, or the fact that trees realistically, and almost literally, ate manure.

Oh great, most of them were rich people. She hated rich people...Okay, not really, but they got away with all kinds of things most people couldn't. But, there was one patient she had kind of liked, and on the bright side, he wasn't a prick like most. He had been an older gentleman, who probably needed to go to a spa out of sheer exhaustion. He just shouldn't have attended the "Eternal Youth Spa."

She had been in shock at hearing the story, but for different reasons than he. The owner of the resort was named Daphne Demeter (aka famous Greek mythology characters that were strongly associated with plants), she was a red head obsessed with plants and nature, her minions were named after flowers, and everyone who attended at the time was disappearing while other guests were there? How had this set off no alarms whatsoever?

Composing herself, she made sure to get his medication, and ensure his comfort best she could, including catering to his girlfriend, who had been another one of the victims.

Later in the hallway, as she was inspecting the reports of the incident, the gentleman called her by her surname. She greeted him merrily.

There was someone with him, a man who was...Carrying a plant. Considering the trauma these patients went through, she couldn't believe someone could be so stupid to do such a thing. Then, she realized how expensive his suit was. Right, rich people. Disturbingly, the man was staring at her, his lips slowly turning into a smile. Refocusing her attention to the patient, she asked him how he was doing, glad to hear he had a clean bill of health. Unfortunately, now he had to deal with hospital expenses...American hospital expenses.

The man began approaching, and Amanda was grateful when Dr. Wu told her that another patient needed food and drink. Nodding, she wished Pennyworth well. "Please, madam, most know me as Alfred."

"...All right, Alfred," she said pleasantly, unable to hide her grin.

This guy, was the best patient ever. Looking over her shoulder, she said goodbye, and jogged to the station where she was needed. Not everyone did it, or could do what she kept doing her best at, but she didn't want anyone to truly be left alone in these rooms. No one deserved that. No one deserved to be in pain, and all alone, no matter what the place was like. Glancing at her watch, she groaned, knowing she needed to get to the clinic for her afternoon and night shifts.

* * *

Oh no, why had the media come back? Why were there news people? It wasn't that Amanda hated people, they could just be extremely overwhelming sometimes.

_(Yet you sewed up Batman and scolded him. AKA, the most frightening person in all of Gotham. That's got to count for something.)_

But Batman had been her patient, and she hadn't felt alone with an absolute stranger because Leslie had been right there. She had almost missed the man that had been with Alfred's eyes. Someone had been watching her. She could feel it. Finding those eyes, both sets lingered for a moment, with her's slowly lighting up in recognition. Heading inside right after, Amanda could still feel those eyes on her. Creepy.

Inside, she beamed at the sight of her favorite patient, Alfred Pennyworth, and greeted him. "Ms. Cromwell, may I ask why you're employed at Gotham General, _and_ here at the clinic?"

Tentative, she chose to be honest. Shrugging, she answer, "I'm a single mother that lives in Park Row. It's, hard to live here when you have only one job."

"You could ask for a raise? In fact, that's what Master Wayne is doing for all the employees here."

Wayne? As in Bruce Wayne? Amanda didn't really know much about him. Her mind slowly processed Alfred's words, "...'Master Wayne' is the man that the reporters are talking to, isn't he?" Surprise lay there, and Amanda pinched the bridge of her nose. "Well, now I feel like a dunce."

"On the contrary madam, it's a bit of a relief you aren't acting hysterically or reaching for some sort of makeup container."

"Mr. Pennyworth, one, I can't afford makeup. Two, the stuff feels uncomfortable to the point where a mask might feel better. Three, why would I need or want makeup in this setting? Makeup could contaminate anything in here, it's a literal health hazard."

He arched a brow, looking over to some of the other female employees were frantically wiping away their apparent newly applied makeup. Rolling her eyes Amanda sighed, "Besides, we're not here to impress Mr. Wayne. We're here to do what we can to help the injured and sick."

She jumped when Leslie's voice rang, "That's why I've always liked you, Amanda."

"Son of a-!" Amanda started, placing a hand over her heart. "Why is everyone intent on giving me a heart attack?"

She already had to deal with her twins and her jobs, but then Batman, and now this? How much worse could this get? Then, she noticed Bruce Wayne. He looked really different up close. She could see why everyone else was so intent on charming him, he was kind of handsome, in a boyish charm. He offered his hand then, and she shook it.

"Bruce Wayne."

"Amanda Cromwell," she replied glancing at Leslie from the corner of her eye. Leslie was just grinning, proud for some reason. Lowering her hand, she gestured to the area of the clinic behind her. "It was nice meeting you, but I really have to prep for the next shift."

He nodded, still smiling. Why did it feel so wrong to see him like this? She didn't even know the guy. Her instincts were all over the place. "Nice meeting you too. Mind if we talk after your shift?"

Oh dear. No, she could just be misinterpreting his words and intent. Wincing, she looked to Leslie again, who frowned. "Amanda has multiple shifts, Bruce-"

So they were on a first name basis?

"And then she has to go straight home. It's an hour's walk from here."

"You don't have a car?"

Please stop being nosy. Unable to look him in the eye, she asked if she could excuse herself once more, causing Wayne to realize what he just said. "Oh, I didn't mean...Yes, I'm sorry."

Not everyone was wealthy enough to afford a car, or vehicle of any kind. Besides, how long would one last here? How soon would it be stolen? Behind her, Amanda could hear Leslie frantically whispering to Bruce Wayne, almost sounding as if she were scolding him. Yep, those two knew each other, and likely well. Amanda realy needed, and wanted, to stay away from him though.

As she was finishing prepping, she perked up at two very familiar voices.

"Mommy!"

Beaming, she chuckled as they ran into her arms. "Hello my little wonder twins," she teased, rubbing her nose against theirs. "How was school?"

"We talked about animals today, and got to make our own," her son said, the chatty one in comparison to his sister. "I made a bird, and Cher made an octopus." He dived into both of their backpacks, showing origami versions of the animals. Er, at least it was a good attempt at origami? Not wanting to discourage them, she complimented the art, telling them they'd put the pieces on the mantle back home. "Ammi? Thanks for making lunch. It was yummy."

Pressing her forehead to both of theirs, she promised, "Always."

She walked them into the child waiting area, where there were toys and games and books for them to distract themselves as she worked. It also let them get homework done, and for her to check on them and help them when she needed to. Leslie and Maggie said hello to them, causing the children to chirp happily. Yes, they chirp sometimes. At least she was luckier than others by how they tried not to scream or fight too much.

Maggie chuckled, "Aesop and Scheherazade look well today."

"I was worried after what happened last night," Amanda admitted. "I didn't mean to worry them so much, and I don't know how they can bounce right back."

The ring on her finger felt heavier, and she grimaced. "I'm doing the best I can, Maggie, and I _know_ it's still not good enough. I want them to be safer than this. I don't think I'm doing what I should half the time, like I'm failing them."

"We all do," Maggie said softly. "And Amanda? Just because you struggle, doesn't mean you're failing them. Besides, they've got a whole team here willing to protect them. They'll be fine._You'll_ be fine."

"I hope you're right," Amanda murmured, twisting the metallic band that was tied to her heart, even if only metaphorically.

* * *

Amanda was leaving, carrying Scheherazade on her hip and holding her son's hand as her daughter napped. It had been a long day, and all three were tired. But, it wasn't like she was going to make _them_ walk all the way. Pulling a wagon, she helped Aesop crawl in, gently placing her daughter inside as well, complete with a "blankie" or two.

She wasn't exactly poor, just, financially troubled. Amanda knew there were too many people less fortunate than her, and was glad to have the support that she did in her life. Tensing when a car started approaching them, she steered away from the street, but not too close to any of the alleyways.

"Ms. Cromwell." It was Alfred, driving a rather large and expensive car. She had no doubt that Bruce Wayne was in the back seats. The butler half ran as he moved towards her. "Please, it's late. May we offer you a ride?"

Amanda felt anxiety run through her. What if Bruce Wayne was going to hurt her? Mock her? Send child services after her because she might not be doing as well as other parents? What if-?

She yelped as Aesop hopped out of the wagon, and knocked politely at the limousine back door. Bruce Wayne leaned out the window, grinning. "Hello there."

"Hi, mommy's nervous 'cause you're a stranger. She says not to talk to strangers."

"A wise woman," Bruce said. "So, why are you not following her wisdom?"

"'Cause all friends were strangers once?" Aesop said, holding out his hand. "And Miss Leslie likes you. You're nice."

Amanda felt her pallor drain, worried about what Wayne would do. Aesop as right, she _didn'__t_ know him. Her hand was outstretched towards her son, and her stomach growled, rather loudly. Oh god, he was going to think she was starving when she had only missed out on lunch. What if he thought she was starving her kids? What if he called child services and fired her? What if she got arrested for-

"Can you buy Ammi dinner?" NO! WHAT ARE YOU DOING KID?! "She makes sure we get food and sleep, but she's a zombie."

Amanda dug the heels of her hands into her eyes, groaning as though she were about to cry. "Honey, that's-"

"How about we all go out for dinner? Someplace you want to go?"

There was a vein twitching in her forehead, at least there was until he looked at her with both a silent apology, and something like a plead. Aesop was happy when he turned to her. "Can we?"

Reluctantly, she acquiesced, watching as Aesop began babbling all sorts of things to her boss' boss. She pretended not to notice when Wayne's eyes widened, and Alfred's, when she picked up her daughter, resting the girl's head on her collarbone as she began to fold up the wagon, trying to figure out what to do with it. Alfred took it then, placing it in the back of the limousine in the trunk. Seeing Bruce Wayne holding open the door instead of Alfred, she became extremely stiff, entering the car with her children. To her shock, they had booster seats.

"Why-?"

"I drive children to hospitals or for charity purposes," Bruce explained.

Please, oh please don't be a silent murderer. Don't make this some sort of horror movie. Their lives were already horrifying enough with crazy plant people, scarecrows, and homicidal clowns trying to kill you. Aesop buckled himself, and Amanda set her daughter up properly. They sometimes carpooled with Maggie or someone else from work, but the three weren't always able to depend on those kinds of luxuries. 

Aesop asked if they could go somewhere new, to let Mr. Wayne pick somewhere. "Honey, I don't think it's a good idea to ask for more than what he's offered."

And even then it was too much. "It's all right Ms. Cromwell. I already paid for the employees at the clinic for something to eat, and I'm hoping to invite them to charity event I'm planning. You just, left a bit earlier than the others."

Yes, because she wanted to get the twins home safely. It wasn't as if Park Row just so happened to get its pseudonym of, "Crime Alley" without reason. Buckling herself in, she couldn't help but frown a little. Pushing back her daughter's hair, it lightened her heart when the kid mumbled something, turning in the seat a little to get more comfortable. Aesop had been chatting with Wayne about where to go.

Maybe he was doing this for publicity? Well, making friends with a poor, helpless employee with two adorable kids would do just that. She hated being pitied, but she'd put away all of her pride for her children. They could use something nicer to eat than the meals she gave them, even if only this once. Alfred drove them to a place that didn't look expensive in the slightest. Rather, it was, homely, in a good way. The sign said, "Joe's Tavern."**

Gently, Amanda woke up Scheherazade, who yawned and rubbed her eyes. Then, she blinked at Bruce Wayne, then her mother, then Bruce Wayne again. "Who're you?"

That finally got Amanda to snort a little, "This is Bruce Wayne. He's a friend of Auntie Leslie. He's the 'fancy guy' you saw back at work?"

She slowly nodded, reaching for her mother's arms, shyly burying her face into Amanda's neck. The group went inside, Aesop excited while Cher was more interested in exploring, moving closer to Amanda, Aesop, or, oddly, Alfred whenever a stranger came by. A tavern certainly wasn't what she'd expected, and it was nicer than any place of riches if the twins were content.

The twins decided to share a plate of steak with broccoli and fries, Alfred had oyster soup, and Bruce had a salmon burger with plenty of vegetables (what the heck?). Amanda apprehensively got stuffed chicken, one of the least expensive meals there. Wayne seemed to be good with kids as he carried on conversations with them, Cher slowly getting out of her shell around him. As for Amanda, it was going to take a lot more effort and time before she did that.

"What do you two think of your mother?"

Don't curse. Don't curse. There were children there. It was already weird that none of the others patrons in the tavern were watching their language. Had Wayne done something to keep them from doing that? Also, why did Bruce Wayne want to know about her? Just, why? It didn't make any sense!

"She's pretty."

"I noticed."

Amanda made a choking noise. He had better just be flattering the kids. "Mommy reads us stories and comics before bed. My favorite's the Gray Ghost."

There was more of a boyish light in Wayne's eyes. Was he a fanboy of the Gray Ghost? "So is mine. I used to stay up late watching his cartoons right before bed. Have you seen any episodes?"

Thank goodness they got into that tangent. Then, Bruce Wayne got dessert for all of them. Alfred had also seemed a bit startled at the gesture, but the adults went along so that the kids would be happy. This time, Bruce said that Amanda didn't have to be afraid of ordering something more expensive. She visibly flinched, causing him to look worried, tacking on that she should do anything that made her comfortable.

Meeting in the middle, she got a slice of pie, something just above the most inexpensive item there. It, was nice, especially when she shared it with the twins, and a little with Wayne and Alfred. They all kind of split and shared their individual meals, trying out different flavors and foods all together. She offered to cover the bill, or even split it, but Wayne just paid for it. Great, how much was she going to owe him?

Aesop was the sleepy one this time, and Cher? She walked up to Mr. Wayne, skipping slightly as she reached for his hand and then raised her arms. "Up? Pwease?"

He flushed, getting silent permission from Amanda. He was a bit awkward, but mimicked her stance, even if he didn't quite have the hips for it. Once inside, she gave Alfred the address, knowing that Wayne, as her higher up, could easily have access to that information. As both twins fell asleep, Amanda realized she was now, effectively alone with the man who practically held power over her life, and the lives of her children.

"I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel pressured," Wayne assured. "I thought I was doing something nice, but you're clearly not comfortable."

"...If I may be so bold, Mr. Wayne, I don't know you," she admitted, wary of his response. "I've seen a lot of things from people of any class, and, most if not all do things that make me doubt their intentions. And, I don't know yours."

It was a bit strange, finding Bruce Wayne to be more terrifying than the Batman. She was probably only able to do the things she did because the person was a patient, and she had some idea of what kind of person he was. Bruce Wayne? He wore a mask of an entirely different kind. Everyone does.

Grimacing, he murmured, "I'm ashamed."

"What?"

"I thought I was taking good care of my employees," he murmured. "But, here you are, working two jobs, with multiple shifts, and, it feels like I've failed you. Everyone."

Well, at least he admitted that he felt guilty instead of lying. "You do enough-"

"Not everything in my power," he said. "Not everything I can, not like you."

She didn't exactly have much power to use in any case. Not like him. It was abundantly clear how different they were. "I sometimes work with those from the Dock Street Rescue Admission. Our team, from the clinic, offers services there every once in a while. The people there told me about a time you had amnesia, and when you helped the homeless there. They spoke of you fondly, and of what you did for them. I just, I have a hard time believing others' words, or trusting what they say they want. They all talk as if you're perfect, and, I've never been able to believe in that sort of thing."***

Why was she talking so much? Sighing, she added, "I still don't know you, not really, but I know that I live in an apartment, with my children fed, and hopefully, happy. I don't mind putting in extra work for what we have. So, as long as everyone at work is treated equally, fairly, I'm content. I can manage."

He pouted, about to say something when they arrived. He didn't look up, instead going to the trunk, getting out the wagon instead of having Alfred do it. "Ms. Cromwell, my intent is to raise everyone's pay at the clinic, including yours. They'll all be equitable, I assure you."

He was hiding something, that much she could sense, or at least was paranoid of. But, Leslie trusted him, and he could've done so much to her or her children, but didn't. It was a low bar to have, but, not not everyone passed. She was going to try to be a little more open with him.

Watching him go though? There were so many questions on her mind, so many things she wanted to say, but as Cher leaned on her, starting to fall asleep, Amanda smiled, helping the child stand so they could all head upstairs. 

* * *

The children were tucked in, and she had a few hours until her next shift. Making sure their school lunch was prepared, she checked their homework since normally she'd help them with it a little more than she had that night, and took a brief shower, collapsing into bed.

She didn't mind it when Aesop came into her room, talking about a nightmare, and Cher followed her brother close behind, more worried about him than herself. Cher still sucked her thumb when she slept, and Ace, Aesop, as per usual, somehow ended up with his face planted in the mattress, legs against the backboard, and his butt up in the air. 

This, was going to be a rough night.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Batman Animated Series: "Eternal Youth"  
** Batman Animated Series: "Holiday Knights"  
*** Batman Animated Series: "The Forgotten"


	3. Chapter 3

At least Bruce Wayne had been telling the truth. Her pay grade went up, as did everyone else's. The check proved that. With the rising costs of housing and food, she had begun to worry about the possibility of finding another place to stay.

"Something on your mind, dear?"

Amanda hummed, contemplative with Leslie standing behind her. "My mind's just wandering."

"About?"

"A lot of things," she sighed, putting the envelope into her locker. Inside was a picture of her and her husband back when he wore his uniform. Both of them. In the one that had once been more recent, she had been pregnant. "There's a case I'm supposed to deal with at the hospital involving a deadly syndrome, the twins are about to 'graduate' from preschool, and...There are some of the people I met recently here at the clinic, last week."

She had primarily been thinking of Bruce Wayne, but seeing Leslie's pale face, Amanda realized that her friend must've thought she was talking about Batman.

"Oh, no, it's not _him_ I was thinking about," Amanda assured her. "More like Bruce Wayne. Did he tell you he took me and the twins out to dinner?"

Leslie quickly relaxed, breathing a little easier. "Yes, he did. What do you think?"

"I think someone's trying to set me up, in more ways than one," Amanda said pointedly. Raising her hand, the ring shined, "And that someone's either forgetting or ignoring the fact that I'm married."

The physician was disappointed, "My dear, Nadir died in that fire years ago, before the twins were born."

Something tightened in Amanda's chest. Friend or not, no one was going to tell her how she should grieve, or when, if at all, to move on. "Your point?"

"I just think that you need some support, no romance required."

Leaning back in her seat, Amanda sighed, closing her eyes. "Excuse me if I doubt his intentions."

"Well, at least come to the Wayne Charity Gala? All of the people here have been invited," Leslie said. "You haven't forgotten about it, have you?"

Amanda stared at the wall behind Leslie, which was covered in posters and newspapers, most of which had some mention of the event. "Kind of hard to."

Really, it was. Not to mention all of her coworkers kept on gossiping about it and commented at least sixteen times an hour of how handsome Bruce Wayne was. Of how attractive and fabulous he was. Sorry, but he's a guy, a normal human guy. While the amount of kindness thing wasn't exactly something she'd expected, he was still a person, not a dildo.

Leslie gestured to her office, and Amanda followed. The room was fairly dark, causing more than a little worry. Before Leslie could turn on the lights, Amanda sensed a presence behind her, and swung around, punching them. To her amazement, and terror, the Batman now had a rather harsh looking mark on his face. Oh no, she punched Batman?!

"Oh god, I'm so sorry," she blurted out, her voice cracking as she frantically began to back away. "I didn't mean to do that and please don't kill me!"

Amanda she first tripped backwards, ending up with the back of her head hitting one of the tables in there. There was a loud crack, and Amanda's cursing echoing in the room. Next thing she knew, both Batman and Leslie were next to her, both watching her with extreme concern. Tense and nervous, she couldn't put her mind together enough for a good few seconds that someone was asking her a question, or at least saying something. Somebody touched her head, testing the soreness there. Hissing, she scooted away as fast as she could on instinct.

"Ms. Cromwell, I'm not here to hurt you, even if you punched me," Batman assured her, scarily smirking.

She still couldn't keep herself from flinching, slowly rising back up onto her feet. "Sorry, I uh, you startled me. Um, I don't know if I should ask why you're here, but I do think I should as why _I'm _here. As in, in the same room with _you_."

Both Leslie and Batman exchanged a look, and this time, when Batman approached Amanda, she didn't flinch or try to run. "I wanted...To thank you."

Amanda started wondering what reality she was in. Literally pinching herself, it was getting clearer and clearer that somehow, this was real life. "Er, your welcome? You do realize you were my patient, like anybody else, and because of that I keep you in the concept of 'patient confidentiality'. There's no real reason to thank me."

"I'm like any other patient? he deadpanned.

"Kind of, yeah," she shrugged. "As long as you're not some kind of murderous criminal, I'd be fine with keeping a few secrets. I'd even treat Robin. I mean, I'm a doctor for crying out loud. Keeping secrets, is literally part of my job."

Leslie had her arms folded, and she was making that grin Amanda didn't like. "Told you she was trustworthy. So, Amanda, we both know there are times where I may not be able to treat him, or I can't treat him alone. Can you be his secondary doctor if something happens?"

That was a sudden turn of events. But, she had kids, and Gotham was dangerous, and the Batman was their primary target. What if someone found out she helped him? What if someone went after her kids? What if..."I have a couple of questions, if that's okay."

Batman nodded. Damn, he was tall, enough that his shadow nearly covered her completely. "Why was Leslie shot at a few weeks ago? Did that have anything to do with you?"

"No, Rupert Thorne was suffering from heart problems, and his brother, a physician, needed an assistant," he explained.

"And because he's a mobster, there weren't supposed to be witnesses," Amanda murmured, holding her chin in thought. "Has anyone ever figured out your secret identity, someone you don't trust?"

"Not to my knowledge. I do my best to prevent that."

So he was good at keeping his identity a secret, protected those he worked with, and was considerate of them and their needs. She winced, "You do realize I'm a single mother of two toddlers, right? There may be times I have to watch over them more than I can you." Before he can say anything, she added, "Which is why I don't want to know your secret identity, even if we do work together."

That got a visible reaction from both of them. "Why?"

"Deniability," she stated. "If I don't know who you really are, the safer it is for all parties."

"...Any other stipulations you'd like to make?"

She narrowed her eyes, "If I, or my kids, are ever in danger, related to this or not, they get priority. I also don't want you to pay me, or tell when or where to be unless it involves an emergency. It's selfish, but I can't abandon those I care about, and frankly, you're a stranger."

"Fair enough," Leslie said. "Anything else?"

"Why don't you wish to be paid?" Batman asked.

She arched a brow, "Because unlike some people, I can't exactly explain extra money or expenses on tax forms. I wonder how you get away with using the fancy gear you have sometimes. Seriously, a Bat Submarine? Bat Jet? You're probably funded by an outside party, are filthy stinkin' rich, or you've done felony tax evasion and miraculously no one notices. Unlike you, I have reasons to fear the IRS."

Batman did hat weird smirk again, "Then I'll at least provide the supplies."

"Please don't do that."

"What?"

"The smiling thing, it's creepy," Amanda admitted. Ignoring his frown, she sighed, offering her hand. "Fine, I'll be your secondary doctor, if you agree to everything I've said."

His glove felt strange. She couldn't tell if it was leather, padded latex, or an amalgamation of different cloths or substances. But, he didn't shake her hand too tight, or too softly. It was just firm enough to assure her. "Deal."

Something clicked in her mind then, "By the way, stop following me home. Stalker. I could hear your fancy boots from up on the rooftops."

She didn't even bother to see his reaction, leaving the room with what little grace she had.

Wait, what did she just do?

* * *

Dr. Wu placed a folder in front of Amanda, anxiety written all over her. "This is optional, but, your assistance would be greatly appreciated. It's also more confidential than usual."

"Please don't tell me we're transporting another criminal to Arkham," Amanda grumbled, pinching the bridge of her nose. "We were lucky Scarecrow didn't have the fear gas on him when he broke out. And that Batman and Robin were there too."

"No, it's not transporting someone to, Arkham. It's a special patient, one with a fatal disease. We have an experimental program that may save their life, and the spouse has reluctantly given us permission to try to help her here at Gotham General."

Amanda grimaced, "Okay, can you stop with the pronoun game? It's not going to help anyone." Her boss nodded, opening the folder, and Amanda's heart stopped. "Nora Fries. We're transporting Nora Fries, here? And, her husband gave us permission? As in, Mister Freeze?!"

Her harsh whispers fought to not become shrieks. "And what can I do?! I don't exactly know a lot on her disease. And what about security?"

"She's arriving with a high security detail. The commissioner is helping escort her himself. She's going to be more protected than Mayor Hill. And, there's another reason I want you to come along, not just as a medical professional, who can monitor her health."

The doctor coughed as she gestured to a specific piece of writing. "...We share the same blood type."

"One that you already know is extremely rare. If something happens-"

"You don't just need a blood bag, you need a blood donor. You might need to perform a direct transfusion," Amanda groaned, laying her forehead against the desk. "I'll say this right now, if I do this, I'm going to want to know more about her disease, even if it's just the basics."

She nearly jumped as Dr. Wu placed a giant textbook in front of her. "If you accept this, you'll get the next two days off on paid leave to prep yourself on this."

"You hate me, don't you?"

Dr. Wu just winked, "Shall I bring in the forms?"

Why did she keep doing stupid things?

"Yep, bring on the CYA forms."

What was with this city?!

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As much as I'm a fan of other television and movie series, Nora's disease wasn't defined in the original series, so I'm going to keep it to that.


	4. Chapter 4

Amanda was right about to head out the door, when her name was called by one of the other employees. "Amanda! Help!"

They were panting, and Amanda ran back to them. "What is it?"

"Riddler took over our systems again!"

Oh great. "What is it this time?"

"Before Mount Everest was discovered, what was the highest mountain on Earth?"

Amanda squinted, "Mount Everest. It doesn't matter when it discovered, the mountain still existed there, and thus, was still the highest mountain in the world. How was that one hard?"

"...Oh," they said, dashing back while calling to the people at the computers, "It's still Mount Everest everybody. Mount Everest is the answer!"

"Seriously?" Amanda scoffed, "That was lame...Wait, can the Riddler hear me? I take that back, it's not lame at all."

He had to get into their systems somehow, again, so why couldn't he place some listening or visual devices in there. Man, Amanda was an idiot. "Ms. Cromwell?"

She yelped, dropping her back only for Bruce Wayne to catch it. She stiffened at the sight of his face. "What happened to you?"

"Skiing accident," Bruce said. He had bruises all over his face, and from his revealed more bruises and swelling. "Are you all right?"

"Besides being blinded by that shiner you have..." she deadpanned. "Just a bit worried. Riddler's broken into the hospital computers again. Someone really needs to upgrade the security in our system. I mean, imagine if our patients' information were released? It's not just a breach of confidentially, but it could legitimately put them in danger."

Realizing she was rambling, Amanda held out her hand expectantly, smiling a little when he handed her bag back. "The Riddler hacked the server."

"He's done it before, he'll likely do it again," she sighed, rolling her eyes. "I just wish-"

"Amanda! It worked! All systems go!"

Bruce arched a brow, and Amanda rolled her eyes. "Hopefully the Riddler can't hear me say this, but the riddle this time wasn't too hard. Just a little befuddling if you don't try to think about it too much."

He nodded, his brows now furrowed. "I have to go. See you around?"

"Sure, just stop getting beat up by flying pieces of wood."

Watching him go, she blinked, seeing a darker bruise on his cheek and jawline. If she had to say something, she'd say he looked like he'd been punched more than he had something from a skiing incident. She'd seen enough of those markings in her lifetime to know the difference between bruises impacts, and those from a fist. 

"Amanda! There's another one!"

Huh? Tentatively walking back, her eyes widened. "He's, only had one riddle for each of the times he's done this kind of thing."

"I know, but if we don't answer the questions, we can't access patient information, or properly communicate with our staff." The secretary was silently begging at Amanda, who sighed and sat down before the computer, focusing at the task at hand instead of Bruce Wayne, or Dr. Wu standing behind her. "You think you can handle it?"

"One, I'm never sure of my abilities," Amanda stated, "Second, I'm going to try my smartest to."

Normally one said "hardest," but being hard wasn't what they needed. Being smart was.

"What belongs to you, but others use more than you do?"

Easy, your name. Another one appeared. The good news was, there were only seven riddles. She had already answered two, so five left.

"I am a fruit. If you take away the first letter of my name I become a crime. Take away the first two letters of my name I become an animal. Take away the first and last letter of my name and I become a form of music. What am I?"

She winced. This one was a little dark, but she'd heard of it before. College had been...And experience to say the least. One of the employees choked as she typed the answer. "Grape, rape, ape, rap."

"Poor people have it, rich people need it. If you eat it, you die. What am I?"

This one was trickier, and she had to think carefully. What was something that poor people had, and the rich needed? What was something...What if it wasn't something one _didn't_ have? Something that one of the two had, the other hadn't? It had to be something in common to form the latter parts of the riddle. Thinking of her station in comparison to Bruce Wayne, the answer became clear.

"Nothing," Amanda murmured, typing it in nervously before submitting her answer. The poor needed everything, and thus had nothing. The rich had everything, so they needed nothing. And if you eat nothing, you starve yourself and die. She breathed a sigh of relief, covering her mouth as she fought to maintain her composure. "Alright, next one?"

The Riddler was holding the hospital hostage, and hundreds of lives were depending on her. She couldn't afford to mess up. And from how the text was presented, not automatically but with text that typed itself and then backed up with an error, that she was literally dueling wits with an infamous criminal. One who wasn't afraid to kill. 

"I go in hard. I come out soft. You blow me hard. What am I?"

All of her coworkers began giggling, and Amanda had to choke back a laugh. "I highly doubt that's the answer he's going for. So shut up!"

The tension in the air defused greatly, and Amanda kept refusing suggestions that were PG or above. "Okay, it was bad enough with the 'rape' riddle, but I seriously doubt that's the answer." There were multiple guffaws, but then, she heard a popping noise, and smirked. "Gum."

In addition to gum though, just for fun, she added a comma with a note of what her coworkers suggested, knowing full well the Riddler was on the other side.

There was a long pause before the Riddler replied with, 'You are despicable.'

The next question appeared, and she snickered. Who knew criminals like him could have a sense of humor?

She had six, now it was time for the final one.

"I can fly but have no wings. I can cry but I have no eyes. Wherever I go, darkness follows me. What am I?"

This one, at first she wanted to say smoke, memories of the past hurting her. But, smoke didn't cry, it snowed ashes. What's something in the sky, that cried? A storm? No, it had to be something that cried, and while storms rained, it had to rain from something. She typed in, "Cloud", crossing her fingers.

The question mark turned green, and the records and computer's information became visible.

The hospital was free, and Amanda could go home. Unfortunately, her legs gave out from under her from the adrenaline rush, the air leaving her lungs as she fell. Worse yet, her breathing grew labored, her vision fading in and out. Her coworkers all let out sounds of alarm. On all fours, she vaguely heard someone talking to her. It was strange, her mind cognizant but her body collapsing in on itself.

"Mommy!"

Looking up, she saw Maggie with the twins, breaking Amanda out of her reverie as Aesop and Scheherazade hugged her. Tears fell down her face as she embraced them back, holding on as tightly as she could.

"Mommy hurt?"

She wheezed, fighting to get her mind to cooperate with her body. "Y-Yeah, I'm just, just a little tired. I, I pushed myself a little harder today than I'm used to."

Amanda only realized then that Bruce Wayne had been next to her, likely trying to break her out of her panic attack. He looked at her worriedly, and she smiled, inclining her head to show she was going to be okay. He nodded, and Dr. Wu helped Amanda stand, the sound of the applause nearly overwhelming her. Scheherazade grasped onto her mother's hand with her smaller one, providing some comfort.

"Let's just go home, okay? I'll buy ice cream," Amanda murmured.

Dr. Wu winced, and Amanda shook her head. The other hospital staff exchanged glances. Dr. Wu sighed, "You don't want this getting out, do you?"

"And have _him_ come after them, after me? I'm not chancing that."

Dr. Wu agreed, staying to speak to the hospital staff. Amanda quickly walked away from Bruce Wayne, knowing that if someone was jealous of her just coming in contact with the billionaire, it would be enough to spread news of what she'd done. Right now, she just wanted to feel, normal. Maggie thankfully didn't ask questions, and neither did her kids.

Yet, she still mentally prepared for the worst, knowing, expecting for someone to blab.

* * *

"I took care of the footage, and everyone agreed that Batman did it. It wasn't hard for the police to believe."

"Everyone agreed?" Amanda asked, astonished.

Dr. Wu confirmed with, "No one there wanted the kids to get hurt." At least that was something even some criminals could agree on. No one touched the children. They were off limits. "You're a hero, Amanda, and everyone there knows it."

She didn't meet her employer's eyes. "Anyone who could solve puzzles or riddles could do it. I mean, before me wasn't it Belson?"

"Once, and the next time it happened he nearly blew all of us up," Dr. Wu grumbled. "Literally. Then you stepped in while Batman was handling getting to that narcissistic sociopath. If you hadn't stepped in, interfering with Belson, who knew what would have happened?

"...Anyone still could have solved those," Amanda murmured. Especially with a simple internet search. "I'm just the sap who was there at those times."

Dr. Wu looked doubtful. "You're clever, Amanda. You notice things. things some people wouldn't. I know that our lives have become chaos, to the point where all of this is normal nowadays, but, when you actually think of the ramifications of what you've done..."

Amanda would admit to figuring out where Batman was sometimes, but he still had an upper hand on her at times when he was snooping around. And, she had helped out the hospital with riddles. Then there was working at the clinic where people of all kinds came in, including the most recent group that had been part of what was realistically a terrorists' attack. But, this was pretty much becoming the average day in Gotham. They were all figuring out ways to adapt to the advanced criminals, to changing their views, their behaviors...

Everyone, did those kinds of things. It wasn't a big deal in this city. She told Dr. Wu her thoughts, and added, "Look, I just want to study the reading you gave me, and have some time with the twins. Please?"

Her boss wasn't happy, but she let Amanda be.

She and the twins went to the park, to a museum, and to a music shop. Aesop loved instruments and music. They were starting out simple with recorders. Scheherazade got a storybook, the two giggling and laughing.

It was later when she was tucking them into bed, that they asked for a story. They asked for _their_ story.

"Please, Mommy?"

Denying them was hard, even as the words threatened to tear her apart.

"Once upon a time, there was a soldier," Amanda started. "He was young, kind, and eager to learn. Once he had done what he was supposed to do, to protect others, he returned home, and attended a place of learning."

Smiling softly, she almost whispered, "The soldier had been scared, but eagerly nervous. However, he looked strange to many, with scars and clothing that left people unsure what to think of his appearance. He was a man of belief, and one that not many approved of."

Thinking of Nadir's awkward grin warmed her. "He caught the eye of one of the other students, and she him. But, he was shy, fearful that if others were reluctant to give him a chance, then why would he with her. So, understanding his feelings, she approached him, asking _him_ if they could court one another."

"The favorite things they loved learning about, were stories, stories from around the world. They spent a great deal of time in the library, reading to one another. Their favorite tales were of two famous storytellers. One had been underestimated, another faced perils for the sake of others. Both were inspirational, and heroes to many."

The twins had been eager to hear that part, knowing fully well who those storytellers were.

"The couple truly fell in love. He proposed to her, becoming a warrior against fire and flames to protect his home and loved ones. They were wed, living in an apartment where they had a happy ending, with two beautiful children, and memories to cherish forever."

He didn't have a happy ending, not really. And her? She'd yet to find such a thing. She wondered if she ever would.

After telling them a few more tales, one with silliness and happier times, they fell asleep. Amanda took out her own storybook, one of medicine and healing. She had work to do.

* * *

Reading the text and comparing it to Nora's files, Amanda triple checked the information.

Something wasn't adding up. The symptoms were the same, but there were a couple more that Nora had, which could easily be disqualified for being irrelevant, but, it felt wrong. Depending on one's guts wasn't the best idea, but there was something definitely off.

The disease they diagnosed her with was associated to taking drugs earlier on in life, or excessively. But, Nora's history was clean, not even with a trace of alcohol. Not to mention she showed vague symptoms earlier on it life, though they had been so minor that it wasn't mentioned in the official documentation for this assignment, only in her records from many years ago.

This was more of a puzzle than anything the Riddler had challenged. She knew she shouldn't concern herself with it so much, but, that nagging feeling kept bothering her.

Her disease was supposed to make her lungs fail in functioning due to fluid build up, and cause cysts to appear in hazardous areas, including in the brain. But, the fluid filling the lungs in one scan...It didn't make the kind of fluid normally found, and it was supposed to be caused by abnormal muscle growth. But, it didn't look like the muscles had been growing too much, but rather swollen instead. The way it appeared could easily be mistaken for such things though.

Going to her computer, she searched multiple medical articles and theses. There, she found a story, that clicked in her mind.

"Mother of God, Nora Fries, she doesn't have McGregor's syndrome," Amanda whispered in shock. "At least, not in the way we thought. 

* * *

"What does auto-fermentation syndrome have to do with this," Dr. Wu asked, stunned at Amanda's proposal.

"Nora should have cysts, her musculature should be thicker..." Amanda said, listing off the symptoms. "But she's not. Instead of a nature vs nurture, her biology, she's, she's producing too many hormones and fluids that are supposed to help the lungs. You and I both know there has to be a balance to anything, especially involving the human body. Because the fluids are so strong, and her hormones are advancing it more, her body is fighting itself and can't fight off foreign substances. She doesn't have a disease, but a genetic disorder combined with an infection, maybe multiple, that she can't fight off."

Pausing, she closed her eyes. "As ridiculous as it sounds, her body is poisoning itself, but it's not cancer. It's similar to auto-fermentation syndrome, where the body produces abnormal amounts of gastrointestinal yeast. Those who live with it either become drunk randomly, or not at all despite having alcohol content that should kill them. But in some cases, that syndrome can do just that, those who are that severely affected, die from alcohol poisoning, alcohol that their own body produces. It's even occurred in infant deaths. It's something beyond people's control."

Dr. Wu, examined the reports and tests that she had Amanda read, her jaw dropping and closing multiple times over. "Do you realize what you're saying, Amanda? You're trying to contradict not only some of the head researchers in this field, but Fries himself."

Amanda swallowed harshly, "And if his wife dies because we jumped the gun, getting her a treatment that will likely kill her if I'm right, because we didn't double check, what happens?"

They both knew what'd happen. Fries would grieve over his wife, and take out his rage on all of Gotham, perhaps even more than that. Dr. Wu flinched, "What do you suggest, Amanda?"

"She's been cryogenically frozen in the extremely early stages of her disease," Amanda said. "Her initial biopsy may have been taken too soon, before the inflammation could be properly measured, or the chemicals allowed to age enough to be mistaken for something else. It's like if you have too much sugar or acids, your blood can turn into sludge. It takes time though for the body to process. And yes, I know that's a poor allegory to use but-"

"I get the idea." Wu considered what was proposed. "We'd have to ask Fries, and he may want an alternative, one we don't have."

"Well, that's why I also brought these research articles," Amanda uttered, holding up the papers. "I've been digging around and, I think a combination of these could work. It'd only be a treatment at first, but maybe it'll become something more over time."

Time froze, and Amanda grimaced, "I think, Fries would rather double check, instead of risking her life. Give him what I have, notes and all. He's the genius in all of this, and I'm the one who started reading about it days ago. I don't measure up to him in that field, and it's ridiculous to ever imagine something like that, but Nora Fries is also my patient. She's not just Victor Fries' wife. She's a person who needs us, and needs the best care possible. If we're wrong, then we won't be helping a security detail, but a funerary march."

"...We'll send someone with what you have," Wu breathed. "And, you won't want him to know who you are, do you?"

"Doctor, as far as I'm concerned, you can take credit for this," Amanda said. "You can give it to anyone you believe deserving, for good or worse, but I need to protect my children. I can't let someone hurt them, because of _me_."

* * *

Victor Fries read over the texts multiple times over, from the letter, to the medical articles, to his wife's files. With every word, every letter, he paid more and more attention to the details within. The more he read, the clearer the message in those lines of texts were. Examining every detail, his hands shook. Taking a form that he'd been offered, Nora's face in his mind, he signed a paper.

This person, however inexperienced they may be, knew of what they wrote, their tone earnest. He had double checked everything, every fact, every memory. Even if their theory was wrong, a biopsy would be best, so that the doubts in his mind, his fears, may be put to rest.

When someone returned, he read the notice, his heart freezing.

They had been right.

* * *

"You were right," Wu gasped, examining the results. Amanda was very still, still in disbelief. "Amanda, you just saved this woman's life. If you hadn't, if I hadn't..."

Amanda's hands remained in her lap, one of her knees slowly drawing itself up to her chest. "And, what did he say about-?"

"I've contacted the board of directors, and the Department of Health," Dr. Wu said. "Unorthodox it is, and maybe too soon, what you suggested holds more merit and far less of a risk compared to what was originally in mind. Fries, he, he approved of your treatment, and so has the officials above me. Nora's still scheduled to come here, but for different reasons and treatments now."

This, it was all happening way too fast.

Amanda fainted, the floor far less comfortable than she thought it would be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The hard part's done with now, but not really.
> 
> Next Chapter: Nora is attacked, Fries is pissed, and Gotham is in peril unless someone takes action.


	5. Chapter 5

Today was the day...

Today, they were transporting Nora Fries to Gotham General Hospital.

She had asked Maggie to look over the twins while she was gone, seeing as Nora was being transported from Metropolis to Gotham. Word leaked out somehow, setting all on edge. Victor Fries had even demanded to be by his wife's side during her transport, enraged when he was denied.

Amanda had initially been hesitant, but wrote under a pseudonym that it would only place a greater target on Nora, or at least that was what the police had told her. To her knowledge, her "pen pal" didn't know who she was. In one of his replies, he asked if she was going to be with his wife. Reluctantly, Amanda admitted that she was.

Checking over her papers, she inhaled, and exhaled.

Looking back, Amanda had done many dangerous things in her life, becoming to numb to all of it, telling herself it was all normal. It was normal to figure out ways to solve Riddler's, well, riddles. It was normal to work with others to get out of Killer Croc's or Poison Ivy's way when there was a rampage. It was normal to keep masks on hand to aid those affected by the Joker Gas, carrying around antidotes. It was normal to feel pain whenever the Mad Hatter or Scarecrow invaded their minds, some starting to grow a tolerance against it all.

What was normal for all of those in Gotham, really wasn't supposed to be.

Now? She felt more afraid than she probably should have.

* * *

Nora Fries was beautiful, almost ethereal. How the hell did Fries marry her?!

Keeping a small promise she made, Amanda took out the burner phone that she'd been gifted, taking a picture of the majestically beautiful woman, and sending the image to Fries with text saying that they just secured his wife into the Critical Care transport vehicle. The windows had been replaced with bulletproof glass, and the walls were made of thick metal alloys that the military used often.

Amanda double checked the IV and equipment, ensuring that Nora Fries was held in a cryogenic container, which was strapped tightly to the floors, and walls to ensure stability and lessen the likelihood of an impact damaging anything, or anyone. Pausing, she took another picture of what kept Nora safe, including what held her in place. She also took pictures of the medical equipment, and details that would help her newfound, metaphorical "pen pal," at ease.

"How is he?"

She sighed, leaning her head back as she spoke to Commissioner Gordon. "He's, wary, but stable, as far as I can tell. I don't know him well though, if at all. By the way, why am I the one who's playing telephone, literally?"

Harvey Bullock scowled, holding out a box of donuts and coffee. Tentative, she accepted it, nodding her thanks. It was one thing to work with officials during emergencies, it was another to meet higher ups, and for her, at the very least, to do this kind of thing. "That's what I'd like to know, sweet cheeks. If anything, I'd think Belson would be the fellow here, seeing as he's the guy who figured this stuff out."

Right, Greg was the one who figured it out, at least that the rest of the world knew. Gordon narrowed his eyes at Bullock. Somehow, this kind of felt like she was meeting a celebrity. And yet, not. Was it because she'd seen and read about these guys so much? Were they becoming that familiar to her? The commissioner sighed, "For some reason, he wanted you, according to Dr. Wu."

Please don't say Wu told Fries who she was, what Amanda had done. Her mind was filled with Maggie and the twins waiting for her at home. She arched a brow, "I highly doubt that, considering I've never met him before. I'm not even an expert on Nora's illness, nor someone familiar with cryogenics."

"Dr. Wu has a reason for everything-

A shadow appeared behind Gordon, and Amanda chose not to react, only snickering a little when Gordon and Bullock were surprised. "You're...Dramatic, aren't you, Batman?"

The whites of his mask displayed his annoyance very clearly. When the officers asked how she was so calm, Amanda answered, "I'm really not. I've seen his handiwork and with the adrenaline rush, I'm screaming on the inside. For me, it's better to hide my fear with quirky comments and act in absolute denial."

A part of her wanted to smack her own forehead for being so open about it, but on another hand, it let people know what she might be thinking, and explain some of her odder behaviors. Batman reviewed the plan with Gordon and Bullock as she checked Nora's vitals, informing Freeze of them, and that Batman was there. He sent her a sarcastic text a while after. The action genuinely confused, and shocked her.

Who knew that Fries could have a sense of humor?

Pausing to evaluate the words, she responded with something neutral, something that could be interpreted either as a joke or an informed comment. Amanda didn't want to push boundaries.

Batman left, theoretically following the transport in one of his massively mysterious, and expensive vehicles. Apparently, Robin was joining him as well, the team having chosen to guard Nora Fries, arguably the most dangerous person to ever cross, because her husband would literally destroy whoever harmed her. Alerting Freeze to the fact that they were finally leaving, Amanda couldn't help but feel on edge.

* * *

Commissioner Gordon had come in the middle of the night, informing Amanda that she could rest. Apparently, though obvious it should be, working double shifts at different medical institutions was draining enough to make one look like the living dead.

"...You're the real one who figured out what was wrong with Nora Fries, aren't you?"

She stiffened, her face paling even more than it had before. "How-?"

"Batman's not the only detective around here," Gordon told her with a soft smile. "So, why don't you take credit for what you've done?"

Considering her words carefully, she said, "I'm not the one who found the possible treatment. I just brought together a bunch of articles and paper detailing research on the subject, and made a written proposal for the possible treatment. I, technically didn't do anything. The people who did the actual work did."

Gordon hummed, leaning against the wall. "But you directed it, seeing things that apparently a large number of people in the medical community missed. Sometimes, it takes one person to change the world. For us, it's Batman. For Metropolis and Star City, it's Superman and the Flash."

"I'm not a hero."

"That's not what those in the Thomas Wayne Clinic or Gotham General told me." At her expression, he sighed. "Don't worry, I left out a few details in the report. Point is, there are a lot of people capable of doing things, but it's not always in their power, or their choice. And, I get that you want to protect your family, but if you always let someone else take the credit, then the world will never change."

Saying nothing at first, Amanda's thoughts still returned to her family. Texting Fries, she let him know that they just got past the halfway point, and the Gordon was telling her to rest. But, as soon as she started to lay down in the back seat, the vehicle began swerving. A loud pop echoed, followed by the shattering of glass, and a heavy thud, all from the driver's seat. Gordon cursed, racing forward, only for a bullet to graze his hand, and the vehicle to slide onto its side, the screeching of metal on pavement hurting her ears.

Still, Amanda ran to Nora Fries' container, making sure that her patient was all right. Nothing appeared out of place there, but she and Gordon knew that they either had to leave to get Nora to safety, or stay inside so that the other officers and Batman could handle it. The problem was, neither knew who or what they were up against.

Gordon grimaced, taking out his gun, "Stay here."

Nodding, Amanda tensed, looking at her burner phone. It had been broken by the impact, and her only other method of communication was through her own. Fries had asked to be at the hospital for when Nora arrived, and, warily, the permission had been granted to him by authorities and Arkham psychologists, the latter's own sanity constantly questionable. She shut her eyes for a moment, and called the burner phone that Victor had. Yes, it was a major risk, but if she called Gotham General directly, even with the extensions she had, but there was a large possibility that any one of the medical staff, or the police, had either leaked something, or had someone on the inside.

The phone rang, and Freeze took a few good seconds to answer. "Who-?"

Yes, she knew that deep voice, modulated by machinery. Grunting as the vehicle shook, Amanda ignored the dull pain in her head and ribs. "We've been hit by unknown assailants. Nora is stable, uninjured, but someone's attacking. Either send help, or get your own frosty butt over here. Use my phone signal to find us. And please, don't kill anybody-"

There was another large, metallic pointed noise. The shaking of the vehicle was disorienting, and it didn't help that her body was going into an adrenaline rush again, causing her breathing to grow more desperate for air. It really sucked with bruised ribs and/or broken ones. Fries growled, speaking to someone on the other side, and she could hear handcuffs being removed. "I'll be there. Keep Nora safe."

"Duh," Amanda hissed as she stood up. "Stay on the line. I'll keep you updated."

For some reason, she didn't feel afraid of Fries in those seconds. Instead, she was pissed that someone was trying to get to her patient.

The doors were wrenched open, and Amanda scowled as a man started to say, "Here little piggy-"

Instead, he coughed in pain as Amanda jabbed him in the throat, and kicked him away. "Stay away from my patient, scum!"

She uppercut the next guy, and slammed the heel of her hand up his nose, the crack of it echoing. The man screamed, and the few others there and not fighting Batman or the cops gaped. "My husband was a marine. You really want to test my patience?"

One tried to wrap his arms around her, to choke her. Instead, she slammed her foot on his own, grabbed an arm, and slammed down her arm into the joint of his, causing bones to shatter in his elbow. Then she kicked his head, keeping him down.

A man punched her in the ribs, causing her to breathe hoarsely, but she held up her arms in front of her to block his next hit. She wrapped part of her leg around his, causing him to fall more easily. As she did so, she grabbed, yanked, and swiveled his fingers until they popped out of the sockets. He cried out in pain, she elbowed his face, keeping him down.

Fighting wasn't normally a thing she did, or liked, but when one lived in a dangerous place like the one she knew, it was really helpful. Problem was, she was taught by her husband many years ago, so she was more than a little inexperienced, having never been a soldier or real fighter before. And, there were a lot of bad guys here.

Somewhere in the distance, she heard Bullock say, "Commish? I think I know why she was picked for this."

"I told you, it was my blood type!"

"And I call BS!"

Unfortunately, one of the men got the upper hand on her, shoving her down, his rough hand against her throat. She tried to gasp for air, only for the man to press his thumbs against her adam's apple. The pressure was painful, and her vision kept fading in an out. In what little eyesight she had, she could see one of the goons going to Nora Fries. Grunting, Amanda reached into her attacker's pocket, drew out the gun, and fired at the possible murderer's knee. Then, she slammed the handle on the head of the person trying to kill her.

Wheezing, she didn't have much of a chance when he lunged at her again, slamming her wrist against the rocks, and weakening her hold on the weapon. He raised the gun, and Amanda realized she was about to die. Her kids would be left alone. Nora would be in danger. Gotham would fall apart because of Fries' rage. Everything would be gone.

She started to fight back again, only for the man to scream. His hand was encased in ice, as was the gun. He fell, clutching himself. Amanda tried to push herself up, coming face to face with something akin to a frozen fishbowl, and red lenses. Gritting her teeth, she hissed when she was tugged upward. Croaking, she looked at Nora, "We need to-"

"Batman and his...Allies, protected her," Fries said, trying to help her stand. "...Thank you."

"What for?" she replied. Shouldn't she be scared? Or freaked out? Why did she feel so numb? Was it shock? "She's my patient, regardless of who you are-"

She fell then, every breath she took hurting, and her wrist turning purple quicker than she'd ever have liked. Fries, Victor Fries, of all people, called for a medic. The last thing she saw, was a panicked Gordon and Batman at her side, and Fries himself looking frightened.

* * *

Groaning, Amanda tried to sit up, only for her to be carefully pushed back down. "I never thought I'd see you on this side, or at least so soon."

It was Leslie, wonderful, majestic Leslie Thompkins. Was Leslie sparkling? Amanda realized she was likely on some powerful painkillers. "...I kind of expected it. I'm just that stupid."

"So I hear. How do you feel?"

"Like I was in a car crash," Amanda deadpanned.

"I'd smack the back of your head if you weren't already looking like Violet Beauregard. I swear, you're black and blue all over."

Amanda chuckled, wincing as her ribs ached. "Does it go with my eyes?"

"No, but it matches my bruises."

Bruce Wayne, spotted with greens and yellows (she highly doubted he got those from a skiing trip), walked in with the twins, who were carrying a fairly large bouquet. "Mommy!"

Okay, now she had to sit up. Ignoring Leslie's and another doctor's protests, she sat up and hugged her kids, tears streaming down her face. "I've missed you, so much."

"Mommy, you need to rest," Cher said firmly, not taking a no for an answer. "We, we thought we lost you, like Daddy."

This time, it was her heart that ached, far more than any injury. Even though the kids never met their father, she always told them about him. She always wore his ring. She taught them his language. She gave them her memories because he wasn't able to make his own with them.

Hugging them tighter, not minding the pain, she breathed, "I'm never, going to leave you alone."

Nadir hadn't. He even just saved her life through the moments he taught her to fight. He saved her, just as much as he loved her.

They hugged her back, treating her as if she were glass. Well, she kind of felt like she was.

Collecting herself, she turned to Leslie, "What happened to-?"

"Fries turned himself in, and was allowed to remain here to be with his wife," Leslie said. "He, is under watch. And Nora, so far as we can tell, the treatment's working. She hasn't woken up yet, but there are visible improvements of her condition."

"He's nice," Ace commented.

Amanda choked a little, "Oh?"

Who let her kids meet one of Gotham's most notorious criminals?!

"Yeah. We got Miss Nora cookies to make her feel better. He said she couldn't have them, though. She's still asleep."

Don't scream. Don't scream. Don't scream. "That's uh, very nice of you. But, he, and Nora, might need some alone time. They're both very stressed, and need rest."

"Like you?"

"...I like resting with two little, cuddly monsters right here," Amanda grinned. "They help me sleep better."

The nurse probably wanted to protest, but didn't say anything as he watched the reunited family. Leslie ushered him and Bruce out, the latter giving her a lingering look.

When they left, there was a lot of clambering and raised voices, along with flashes of light. "Um, what's going on?"

"Mommy's famous," Ace said, positive that she'd be overjoyed too. "Mr. Fries talked about you in front of cops, and they told news people, and now everyone wants an autograph!"

Hopefully, no one would blame Amanda when she decided to sleep, blissfully ignoring the rest of the world.

Maybe with the exception of those she loved most.


	6. Chapter 6

Their world truly had changed.

Nora Fries had woken up, Victor Fries had turned himself in peacefully to go to Arkham, and Amanda? She somehow became the center of media as the mediocre doctor who helped 'solve the secrets behind McGregor's', and 'saved Gotham'. If only they knew how often she, and other hospital staff, were used to figuring out the Riddler's puzzles by now. It's happened at least twenty three times? And not all of them were her. Seriously, in the hospitals it was normal civilians doing the hard work.

Amanda furrowed her eyebrows as she walked with her kids to see Nora Fries a and Victor Fries talking, Mr. Freeze's eyes softer than she, and likely anyone in Gotham, had ever seen. She had wondered if the relationship had just been obsession, but there was an expression that Amanda knew well. Nadir, her husband, had it throughout their marriage. At least, while he'd been able to look at her like that.

Before Amanda could stop them, Cher and Ace knocked on the door, looking pleadingly at Mr. Fries, "Cookie?"

Slamming her face into her palms, Amanda groaned, only to nearly fall over when she heard a musical voice whisper, "I'd love some."

Amanda gaped, and said to Fries, as Nora and the twins shared cookies, "How in Hell, Michigan, did you marry _her_?"

Who knew that a man practically trapped in ice could blush? Or smile like that? "She taught me how to skate."

"...What?"

"I was always afraid to interact with people, and I preferred to hide away," he admitted, his bittersweet gaze lingering on his wife. "She brought me out, taught me to, have fun, to see color. To live. I've never been sure why she loves me the way she does, but I'm forever grateful she chose to take a chance on me, when no one else would. She, made me feel human."

Amanda hesitated, "My husband, Nadir...We met at Gotham University. He was a marine, and had just finished a tour. But, he was a Muslim, so, everyone was scared of him. I, I thought he was a bit awkward, and surprisingly shy for someone of his caliber, but, I volunteered to help him catch up in our college course. We fell in love over small things, mainly stories."

She wasn't sure why or how, but Fries actually indulged listening to her. His eyes found her ring. "What happened?"

"He was given honorable discharge since he wanted to live with me, here in Gotham. Not, not many people wanted to hire him, so he became a firefighter. One day, he didn't come back home."

Fries, thankfully, didn't offer an apology. Instead, he watched Nora play with the kids. "...Thank you, for saving her."

"I'll admit, I did save her for some selfish reasons, not just to become a good samaritan." There was a silent question in the air. "First of all, you remind me of a younger version of myself, as silly as it may seem. I figured, if I couldn't keep the love of my life by my side, then someone else should be able to." There was a deep inhale, but she ignored it. "And, I wanted a safer Gotham, one that my children wouldn't feel so afraid of. I don't want to lose them like I did their father, my husband."

He showed some slight guilt.

Sighing, Amanda folded her arms, leaning against the wall. "Does she know?"

"Not yet," Fries admitted. "I, fear her reaction to what I've done."

She was quiet for a moment. "Not telling her would be worse, because she's going to learn the truth from someone else, regardless of how much you don't want her to know. If she should hear it from anyone, it should be you."

His hands were clenched tight enough in his lap, that Amanda was wiling to bet there was a lack of blood flowing there.

"Why did you want me to text you?" she murmured.

"Because even if you did all of this for selfish reasons, you saw what others didn't. If something were to happen, I decided that the one who was able to do that, cared at least a little, and was brave enough to challenge those who needed to hear you. You were brave enough to find the answers, and do something about it." Amanda remembered seeing his expression when he found her. She hadn't expected for him to look worried for someone other than his wife. Perhaps it was because he didn't want to lose a valuable resource for his wife's sake. "Why don't you wish for the world to know what you've done?"

"People would expect miracles out of me, and my children, will be in danger," Amanda murmured. "I've had patients who swore all kinds of vengeance because I couldn't help their loved ones. Some stalked me. And, I'm honestly worried that it won't be just me who thinks I'm capable of impossible things."

Her eyes met his, the message clear. "I understand. I still thank you for saving my Nora."

Cher approached Freeze, offering a cookie. He silently took it, nodding in gratitude. Amanda arched a brow as her daughter went back to Nora. "You, can't eat that, can you?"

"...I can, later." Hoo boy. "Can I be left alone with Nora?"

Calling the kids, Amanda led them away from the Fries', granting the privacy they needed.

* * *

Gordon had helped Amanda and the twins exit out the back of the hospital. Even from there, Amanda could see a crowd waiting at the front, most of whom were reporters, many protesters, and there were some that, looked desperate.

Belson was there, looking particularly incensed. Gordon got Amanda and the twins into the police car, just in time for Nora to appear with Mister Freeze. They shared a fond look at one another, Nora smiling sadly. Everyone suddenly went quiet, seeing a woman who should've been a corpse. There were still some protesters trying to get at Freeze, but most had stopped. There weren't even as many cheers as Freeze got the vehicle that would transport him to Arkham. He and Nora shared one more longing look as the two were separated, separated by glass once more.

Nora, with a large number of security guards, began to answer questions. Amanda scowled as she saw everyone bothering her exhausted patient. She told Gordon to watch the twins, and for them to behave. Walking up to Nora, having moved through the crowd, Amanda glared at one of the reporters heckling Nora. 

"She is tired, and her body has gone through a great deal of stress," Amanda stated, helping Nora stand a little easier. Lying and/or floating all this time, meant that some of her muscles had deteriorated. She must've struggled greatly just to see her husband be driven away. "Let her rest, and if she chooses to answer questions, it will be her _choice_."

Nora smiled at Amanda, both doing their best to not pay attention to the people there. Someone grabbed Amanda's arm just as Nora got to safety. "Please! Are you the one who saved her?"

Amanda flinched, looking away. Yanking her arm away, she said. "Sorry, but I'm not the one you're looking for."

They probably all thought she was some super genius that could save the world. That she was more important than others. That she was miraculous. She wasn't though, she really wasn't. 

Going through the doors, Amanda tried to deny that the person's words had left an ache in her heart. Nora was there, waiting for her. "Nora, you should be resting."

"I know, and I will," Nora promised. "But, I have a favor to ask."

Oh no.

Nora held up her hands, "It's not dangerous. Or, it's not supposed to be. I, I can't visit Victor, not the way I am. Please, can you go in my stead? I'll write letters, and maybe even ask to video call him? There's, there's so much I've missed, Dr. Cromwell, so many moments I need to make up for. And, if he's there, where I can't go, I want to be with him in some way. I love him."

"...Did he tell you who he was after-?"

"I know," Nora responded, sorrow in her features. "I, I don't think I can forgive him for everything he's done, but, I still love him. I still want to be at his side."

This woman, wanted Amanda to go to Arkham Asylum, where most of Gotham's most notorious and dangerous criminals were.

Why was everyone trying to kill her?

"Dr. Cromwell?"

"Amanda," she rectified. "I'll go, on a few conditions..."

At least she had Fries on her side, especially if Batman couldn't protect her there. Both were fairly intimidating. At the end of the discussion, Amanda tilted her head. "By the way, not that there's anything wrong with him-"

"Oh, there's plenty wrong with him and we both know that," Nora deadpanned.

There was no way Amanda was going to argue against that. "But why did you agree to marry him?"

"Technically, I'm the one who proposed."

Blink. Blink. "What?"

"Everyone else sees 'an angel' or perfection because of my looks. With Victor, he knew that I was a person, he tried going out of his comfort zone for me, and he never hurt me or made me feel unsafe. " Huh. "He makes me laugh, smile, and...I love him, because despite how others see us, that it seems like he put me on a pedestal, he makes me feel real. I'm not a doll or plaything or decoration. I'm me, and he's him. With him, I feel human...He makes me happy, and I hope that I make him feel the same."

"...Honey, he was willing to freeze over Gotham for your sake. He's talked about how happy you made him and that the world should become a frozen hell just for hurting you. Few have ever seen him smile, and it normally doesn't turn out well. And, guess what? I've seen him smile enough to nearly get a heart attack every time he's with you. Believe me on this, you make him happy."

Nora blushed, and twiddled with some strands in her hair, "Really?"

"Honey, your his Morticia, just as he's your Gomez, but icier, and maybe a little bit more homicidal or vengeful."

At Nora's grin, that suggested a few things, Amanda groaned. "Don't you dare."

"...' Victor, last night, you were unhinged.'"

"No!" Amanda yelped, covering her ears and going, "Lalalalalaalala!!!"

"'You were like some desperate, howling demon. You frightened me...Do it again.'"

Amanda's face was burning. "How does _he_ not get heart attack?! No wait, I don't wanna know."

It was discovered, that Nora Fries could cackle, evilly.

* * *

The family was staying at a hotel for the time being, their home too dangerous due to the influx of people wanting information and asking for help.

Bullock whistled lowly, "These are some nice digs."

Amanda paled, "Yeah, too nice. I'm worried somebody's going to break something."

"What kind of idiot would-?"

Bullock had started to lean against the wall, and tripped, knocking into a vase, which shattered. Pieces of glass and ceramic covered the floor. "Son of a-!"

He halted, seeing the curious gazes of the kids. He wasn't exactly someone who got along with kids very well*, but he still had a heart and conscious, believe it or not. So, instead of cursing his poor luck, he refrained himself. Clearing his throat, he grumbled, "Where's a broom?"

Stomping off, he paid no attention to Montoya rolling her eyes, "Anything you two want to play?"

They began playing 'Clue', Of course, kids who loved the Gray Ghost were going to love murder mystery solving games. Amanda sighed, grimacing as she checked her online accounts and messages. "How did they get my e-mail?"

"You got a public account?"

"Social media isn't my thing," Amanda winced, glancing at her kids. "I should make their lunch for tomorrow."

Montoya frowned, "School might not be wise right now, if people really are that desperate."

"They have a treatment now," Amanda groaned, raking a hand through her hair. "I, I just got lucky. It's not exactly something I can replicate. I, I can't-"

Ace strolled on over, holding his mother's hand in his. "It's gonna be okay, Mommy. It'll be okay. You'll see."

How her son still remained positive, she'll never know. He reminded her so much of Nadir sometimes. 

"Hey, Cromwell?" Bullock said, having gotten all of the vase remnants. On his shoulder was a phone. "Wayne wants to see you."

She raised an eyebrow, "Why does Bruce Wayne want to see me?"

"Somethin' about your job?"

All pallor left her cheeks. Was she going to get fired. Shaking, she took the phone. "Hello, Mr. Wayne?"

"Hello, Miss Cromwell. I just wanted to make sure you're comfortable."

"...That's a little creepy," she said.

There was a small laugh on the other side of the line, "That's not what I meant. I own the hotel you're in."

"Now that's _extra_ creepy," she groaned. Why did this man have to own _everything_? "Are you spying on me?"

"No, but you may be there for a while," Bruce said. Something about his tone made her less disturbed. "Miss Cromwell, I, also own apartment complexes for some of my employees. Technically, you already work for me as you are a medical professional at Thomas Wayne Memorial Clinic, but it may be safer to work elsewhere, to do better."

She grit her teeth, "And not helping those in Park Row is better? What, because they're not wealthy like you? Because they're lower class?"

Her voice belied her anger, her frustration, her fear. Bruce's own voice cracked, "That's not what I meant. Amanda, you can still work at the clinic if you want. I'd be honored if you did, but I also think you could work in Wayne Biotech or Wayne Medical."

Just how much of Gotham did this guy own?

"I'm not an expert in cancer, or any medicine, Wayne," she argued, not caring who he was in that moment. "Why won't anyone believe me when I say it was an accident I saw those details? That I got lucky?"

"Because those with luck don't need to do much. You though? You made your own luck."

She wanted to scream. "Please, Bruce, just, I need time. Please leave me be? Just for a little while?"

He agreed, wishing her well, the solemness in his tone echoing in her mind. Wayne, she didn't know what to make of him. He just appeared out of nowhere, and she kept seeing him. He had been nice to the twins, he tried to help her back at Gotham General, and he brought her flowers and, now he was offering her another job to set her life straight. Was he just stalking her for reasons she didn't know? Why would he be interested in a single mother from Crime Alley, with nothing spectacular in any way? She wasn't beautiful, she wasn't the most literate of people, or fashionable, or wealthy.

All she was, was someone who wanted a safer Gotham for her children. She was a mother trying to protect the last gift that her husband had blessed her with. She was trying to fight for the love of her family, the most precious people in her life.

Surely all parents, at least the good ones, wished for something similar. Many of them were physicians too. There were also plenty of scientists, politicians, and those with wealthy who could do so much more than she could. All they had to do, was remember what was worth living for, and do something about it.

But, how often did people take that kind of chance? Who was willing to step up, and do something with what little power they had? For any difference that could be made?

Maybe that was the important thing everyone was trying to tell her. They _should_, anyone _should_, be capable of doing what she could, what she did. Not everyone had her foolishness and stubbornness though. Not everyone could, would, take those kinds of risks. Not everyone was able to do it, even if they _should_ be able to.

Every little job had something one wouldn't think was much of a big deal, that others were capable of, but when had they truly done the same things another did? How many would challenge authorities larger than themselves? How many would try to help someone who arguably didn't deserve it? To laugh with some because they were still people? How many would try to find solutions that wasn't supposed to exist? How many would...Try to make the world a better place, by doing things they never thought possible?

Replying to the Riddler's questions had become a fun pastime despite the implications of danger. People on the street carried extra nose and eye drops for the those experiencing hay fever from Ivy's monstrous plants? How many kept gas masks in their buildings to give to strangers so they wouldn't be affected by Joker's gas? How many aided those in dangerous situations involving Scarecrow, Freeze, or even Killer Croc?

It was all those little things, the tiny details, that could change everything...And it had never just been Amanda Cromwell. She really had been just another one of them, and all of them were strong, with their own abilities. Hers, she wasn't sure exactly what hers was, but, there was a possibility of her being able to do as much as others, maybe more than they could.

If her little actions could make a change, even a little, then maybe it was worth taking a risk.

Amanda woke from her reverie as Cher hugged her. Ace followed not long after. Amanda's eyes teared up, and she embraced them back, needing to let it all out. Her confusion, her rage, her fears...

The twins just hugged her tighter, grounding her to this new reality.

* * *

"Mommy's scared."

Ace turned to his sister. It seemed dumb to say the obvious out loud, but people needed to say stuff out loud, 'cause they didn't always believe it until those things were actually said. He laid his head against her shoulder. "Yep."

"Aren't ya scared?"

"Yeah. Everything's gonna be okay though."

Cher put her head on his. "How do ya know?"

"Just do." His sister hummed, not believing him, but still accepting his answer. "You scared?"

She nodded and he hugged her close. She returned it, and Ace couldn't help but make a little sniffle.

"Wanna get cookies?"

Cher grinned, and the two went to go sneak into the kitchen. There, they saw the Batman. Cher covered her mouth so she wouldn't scream, and Ace furrowed his eyebrows, stepping closer despite his sister's fear. Batman was very still, and Ace's heart stopped for a moment. Swallowing, he held out his hand.

"H-Hi. I'm Aesop."

Batman knelt, taking the boy's hand in his carefully. He rumbled like thunder as he spoke. "Batman. Nice to meet you."

Cher tentatively approached, still hiding partially behind her brother. With a whisper, she said, "Hi."

There was an upward tugging on his lips, as though he were trying not to smile, but failed. Aesop just kept staring at the lower portion of Batman's face, as did Cher. Well, for her, it could be attributed to her shyness, but for Ace? It was for an entirely different reason.

"...Are you a pervert? Cher asked, causing the Dark Knight to blanch. She didn't really know what the word meant, but she was willing to bet it was a bad thing for adults to look so angry or awkward about it. It was funny, seeing the Batman like this. He was a giant puppy. "Or a thief?"

She was looking at his gloves, and the slightly opened drawers and padded markings he left on the floor with his boots. "I'm Batman. I help people."

Both faced each other. They had seen his handiwork. They knew how scary he could be. The Batman could hurt very easily, but hadn't done it, yet. But, he was also nice to some people. He saved those in Crime Alley, and beat up bad guys. Bad guys who hurt people in ways he didn't. This time though, Cher didn't hide so much. Instead, her eyes widened.

"You're not gonna hurt Mommy? She's hurt, lots," Cher said.

"No, I'm not," Batman murmured. "I'm trying to be nice."

Young though they may be, it was plain to understand he had trouble with that. "How?"

"I'm going to leave her a thank you note," Batman said, showing them the envelope. "I wanted to hide it in a place only she could find, so no one else would take it."

That sounded logis-tical, like Spock. Cher took the note from him then, and placed it in a book by the door. "Mommy always carries this book."

Batman nodded, wary, but thanked them before disappearing into the night.

Once he was gone, Ace whispered, "Cher? Did you see-?"

"Chin," Cher blurted out quietly. "He and Mista Wayne got the same chin."

The Batman was Bruce Wayne.

The question was, should they tell their mother?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Holiday Knights - Bullock became Santa Claus for a day on stakeout.


End file.
